Articulated ice tray grid



March 30, 1948. ANDERESON 2,438,487

ARTICULATED ICE TRAY GRID Filed Dec. 12, 1939 Z91 Z 1 /Q.8.. i7 i I ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 30, 19 48 1 ARTICULATED ICE may can) Sven W. E. Andersson, Evansville, 11111., assignmto Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 12, 1932, Serial No. 308,751

3 Clalmm (Cl. 62-4085) particularly to ice trays and grids for use in'production of ice cubes in refrigerators.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved distortable grid from which ice cubes are loosened in such a manner that splintering of the ice cubes is minimized. Iaccomplish this by providing stops to limit distortion or flexing of a grid with the stops being embodied in the grid in such a manner that individual bending or flexing of the grid partitions is promoted. By. promoting the flexing or bending of the grid partitions, the peeling action of ice cubes is improved whereby the removal of the cubes or ice pieces from the grid is facilitated.

The invention, together with the above and other objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and of which:

. Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ice tray within which is positioned a distortable grid embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a, side elevation of the grid shown in Fig. I removed from the tray;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 Of Fig. 2;-

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a center dividing member or partition of the grid structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views taken on lines 5-5, 6-6 and 1-1 respectively, of Fig. 2 to illustrate the grid more clearly;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the grid distorted or bowed to illustrate the manner in which ice cubes are removed therefrom; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the grid in Fig. 8 to illustrate more clearly the manner in which flexing of the grid partitions is promoted.

In Fig. 1 a grid structure Ill is positioned inatray II having an outward extending flange [2 about the upper edges of the walls thereof. The grid structure l comprises a plurality of spaced transverse or cross partitions M which are substantially the same depth as the tray II and extend between the longitudinal side walls of the latter. Between the cross partitions members M are arranged a plurality of aligned center dividing member-s I which are the same in depth as the cross partitions I4. The center dividing members I5 together form a longitudinal partition extending from oneend wall to the opposite end wall of tray ll.

The cross partitions M are formed from separate dividing members It and I1 disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal partition. Each of the dividing members l6 and I1 is formed with three tabs or ears l8, l9 and 20. The ears l8, l9 and 20 are at right angles to the portions of the dividing members I6 and I! forming the cross partitions l4 and are disposed in planes parallel to the center dividing members l5 forming the longitudinal partition.

The center dividing members l5 are provided with ears 2tat a bottom corner, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, each of which overlaps the bottom corner of an adjacent dividing member 15. The center dividing member l5 at the left hand end of the grid structure is formed without an ear 2|, as shown in Fig. 2. The ear 2| of each center dividing member I5 is directly hinged to the bottom corner of the adjacent center dividing member l5 whichit overlaps, as by a rivet 22, for example. The rivets 22 pivotally connecting the center dividing members l5 also extend through openings in the bottom ears 20 of the dividing members [6 and H, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7. Thus, the rivets 22 pivotally connect the center dividing members l5 and also serve as connectors or fasteners for the dividing members 16 longitudinal partition.

The top tabs or ears H! are secured by rivets 23 i to the upper corners of the center dividing mem- I bers l5, and the intermediate ear-s l9 are secured by rivets 24 to intermediate regions of adjacent center dividing members. The rivets 23 and 24 extend through openings or slots 25 and 26, respectively, in the center members IS, the slots 25 and 2B in this embodiment being larger than the rivets 23 and 24 to permit considerable bowing or arching of the grid structure. l

The center dividing members H5 at the ends of the grid structure are formed with raised portions to which are pivotally connected levers 21. In the illustrated embodiment the levers 21 are pivotally connected by pins 28 to the ends of the When the levers 21 are raised upwardly from the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the short arms 29 thereof -press against the upper edges of the end walls of tray II to remove the grid structure from the tray.

After the grid structure has been removed from the tray, the levers 21 can be moved to the vertical position shown in Fig. 8. fli'he short arms 29 of the levers are formed with catches 3|, as shown in Fig. 2, which bear against the vertical edges of the end center members I when the levers are raised to the position shown in Fig. 8. After the levers 21 are raised so that the catches 3I contact the end center members I5, further movement of the levers in the same direction causes the transverse partitions I4 and center members l5 to bow or arch, as shown in Fig. 8.

In using the grid structure just described, the grid is positioned in a tray, as shown in Fig. 1, and the trayis filled with water. After the water has been frozen and ice cubes have been produced by placing the tray in a cooling unit of a. refrigerator, the tray is taken out of the cooling unit and the grid structure removed from the tray in the manner described above.

To loosen the ice cubes from the grid structure the levers 21 are raised to the vertical position and outward force is applied to the levers to arch or bow the grid structure, as shown in Fig. 8. It is'not easy to describe what actually takes place when the grid structure is operated. For purposes of description it is believed best to start with the movement of the partition members from the extreme end of the grid structure toward the center thereof, although the first break or fracture sometimes occurs in other places. When the first breaks or fractures occur at the extreme ends of the grid structure, the action of the grid is substantially as follows: With outward force applied to the levers 21, the force is transmitted directly to the end dividing members I5 whereby the latter are caused to move angularly with respect to the end cross partitions I4. This angular movement of the end dividing members I5 and end cross partitions l4 causes the ice cubes to peel from these parts. After the ice cubesare loosened from the end cross partitions I4 and the rivets 23 and 24 at the extreme. end of the grid structure have reached the limit of their movement in the slots 25 and 28, respectively, the force effecting fracture of the end ice cubes from the outer surfaces of the end cross partitions is effectively transmitted across the broken ice bond to cause the ice cubes next to the end'ice cubes to peel from the inner surfaces of the end cross partitions I4. The angular movement of the end cross partitions I4 with respect to the center members I5 adjacent to the end center members also causes peeling of the ice cubes from the center members. In this manner the force applied to the levers 2! is trans-' mitted throughout the grid structure until all of the ice cubes are loosened.

It will be seen that the rivet and slot connections of the tabs or cars I8 and I9 and the center dividing members I5 act as stops to limit the embodied 'in the grid act to transmit force throughout the grid in the manner Just described.

An important feature of the grid structure described above is the location of the tabs or'ears I8 and I9. By locating the ears I8 and I! at different elevations, individual bending or flexing of the cross partitions I4 is promoted. Referring to Fig. 9, for example, force is transmitted to an intermediate region of dividing member I! by the ear I9 and to an upper region of the dividing member by the ear I8. Since the ears I8 and I9 transmit forces across places of fracture at regions removed .from each other, flexing of the dividing member I1 is effected. Stated another way, when the grid structure is bowed or distorted, force is transmitted longitudinally of the grid from one center dividing member I 5 to an tom ears I8 and 20.

extent of arching or bowing of the grid strucof the ice cubes adjacent the end ice cubes from the opposite surfaces of the end cross partitions. Irrespective of where the first fracture or break occurs, whether at the extreme end or at an in- While this flexing of the dividing members I6 and I1 making up the cross partitions I4 is slight, nevertheless this action has been found very desirable because the peeling of the ice cubes from the dividing members is improved and the loosen,-

-ing of the ice cubes is facilitated.

If desired, the slots 25 and 26 in the center dividing members I5 may be made the same size orsubstantlally the same size as the rivets 23 and 24. In such case very little bowing of the grid structure takes place when it is distorted. However, the flexing action of the cross partitions is effective'to loosen the ice cubes from the grid structure. With very little bowing of the grid structure the ice pieces do not readily fall out and the ice pieces would have to be picked out;

By embodying the stops in the grid structure so that the latter opens up to some extent, as in the embodiment illustrated and described, the ice pieces readily fall out with bowing or bending of the grid. When the ice cubes are of sufficient depth so that the slots 25 and 26 are full of ice, force is immediately transmitted throughout the grid when the levers 21 are forced away from each other to cause bending or flexing of the individual cross partitions to efiectloosening of the ice cubes from the dividing members. After the ice in the slots 25 and 26 is crushed and the rivets 23 and 24 have reached the limit of their movement in the slots, flexing or bending of themdividual cross, partitions is effected to insure complete loosening of the ice cubes from the dividing members.

The ,end cross partitions I4 may be provided with slots 30, as shown in Fig. 3, to facilitate further the loosening of the extreme end ice cubes. With this arrangement small ice rivets are formed at the narrow slots 30. When the grid structure is bowed the likelihood of the end ice cubes loosening first from the end center dividing members I5 is improved by the relative movement of these dividing members and the end ice cubes. end cross partitions I4, theice rivets in the slots 30 are subsequently broken whereby the end ice the end cross partitions. With the provision of termediate region 1 th grid t tu the stops the slots 30, therefore, the likelihood of the end With flexing and bending of the ice cubes first breaking loose from the end center dividing members is increased.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been shown-and described, such variations and modifications are contemplated which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A grid including a cross partition and center dividing members at opposite sides of said cross partition and at right angles to the latter, said dividing members being movable in opposite directions from said cross partition, means at one elevation to limit separating movement of one of said dividing members from said cross partition, and means at another elevation to limit separating movement of said other dividing member from said cross partition.

2. A bendable grid including a. plurality of spaced cross partitions of single wall thickness and a longitudinal partition formed by a plurality of substantially aligned center walls disposed between said cross partitions, means for pivotally connecting the adjacent center walls of the longitudinal partition, the grid being bendable along the longitudinal partition whereby flaring apart of said cross partitions is effected, and spaced connections between each cross partition and the two adjacent center walls so arranged that, when bending force is applied to said grid, force is transmitted from one center wall to a first region oi. the cross partition and force is also transmitted from the other center wall to a second region of the cross partition removed from the first region to cause warping of said cross partition.

3. A distortable grid for refrigerators to which ice may freeze comprising a plurality oi articulated wall members including partitions of single wall thickness, said wall members being relatively movable with respect to each other, and I SVEN W. E. ANDERSSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 20,656 Geyer July 17, 1930 493,729 June Mar. 21, 1893 852,608 Matthews May '7, 1907 2,035,543 Gaugler Mar. 31, 1936 2,037,520 Anderson Apr. 14, 1936 2,110,511 Rudd Mar. 8, 1938 2,140,923 Saler Dec. 20, 1938 2,147,495 Miner Feb. 14,1939 2,168,200 Geyer Aug. 1, 1939 2,189,446 Harbordt Feb. 6, 1940 2,190,502 Keiper Feb. 13, 1940 2,193,694 Miner Mar. 12, 1940 2,196,476 Reeves Apr. 9, 1940 2,197,378 Hailock Apr. 16, 1940 2,242,764 Steenstrup May 20, 1941 2,253,624 Jacobs Aug. 26, 1941 2,255,153 Crowley Sept. 9, 1941 

